Should the Eagles sign Jaire Alexander? The pros and cons of inking the soon-to-be former Packers CB

Versatility and playmaking ability make the free agent an ideal fit to replace Darius Slay, but there are reasons for pause.

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The answer to the Eagles' replacement for Darius Slay might not be Kelee Ringo or veteran free-agent Adoree' Jackson, not with a potentially splashier candidate in Jaire Alexander suddenly available.

Alexander is a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and former first-round pick who has spent all seven of his seasons in Green Bay and has ample playoff experience.

The Eagles are known for frequently kicking tires on – or at least exploring – accomplished veterans when they become available, either via trade market or free agency. Given the importance of the cornerback position, interest around the league in Alexander will probably be widespread.

Typically, when one of the league's top players suddenly becomes available in June, there are reasons for other teams to be as skeptical as they are intrigued. Here is the case for and against the Eagles signing the soon-to-be free agent: 

The case for signing Alexander

He's a no-doubt starter

With Slay off to the Steelers, the Eagles are currently competing free-agent veteran Adoree’ Jackson against third-year pro Kelee Ringo to start opposite second-year star Quinyon Mitchell while also trying to maintain the standard they set last year as the NFL’s top-ranked defense. The competition would immediately cease if Alexander came aboard. Alexander is better and more accomplished than either of the aforementioned two. Alexander has played both cornerback spots in his career and even nickelback. Per PFF, he has played 53 percent of his career snaps at left corner, 37 percent at right corner, and 10 percent in the slot. Since the start of 2022, Alexander has primarily played the right side, which is interesting because the Eagles have asked Mitchell this spring to practice at left corner despite manning the right side as a rookie. 

He's a playmaker

Alexander was the 18th overall pick of the Packers in the 2018 draft out of Louisville and clocked 4.3 speed. His talent and athleticism have translated, as Alexander has made two Pro Bowls and was twice named second-team All-Pro. He has 12 career interceptions, including five in 2022, and three postseason interceptions in seven games. Alexander has three times as many career INTs than Adoree' Jackson, who has played 19 more games than Alexander. In eight playoff games, Jackson has produced no turnovers. Kelee Ringo has played just 311 total snaps over two years and has one interception in his rookie season. Alexander’s playmaking ability makes him far more comparable to Slay, who has 28 career INTs, nine of which came with the Eagles. 

He’s still young

Though he's played seven seasons, Alexander entered the NFL at 21 years old and is only 28. Slay was 29 when the Eagles traded for him and played five seasons with them, helping the team get to two Super Bowls and win one. Alexander has struggled with injuries – more on that later – but doesn’t turn 29 until the day after the Super Bowl. If the Eagles could sign him to a short-term deal, they could still get at least two full under-30 seasons from Alexander to evaluate him for the longer term or buy time to find an option beyond 2026.

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Is he hungry for a ring?

With the Packers, Alexander played in seven postseason games, including consecutive NFC Championship Game losses (to the 49ers and Bucs). He’ll likely command interest from several teams, but … could he view the Eagles as his best opportunity to win that elusive ring? He’s dealt with injuries throughout his career and could see a closing window. Also, his versatility and ability to play in both man and zone coverages make him an ideal fit for Vic Fangio’s scheme and could position him for success that could lead to another, bigger contract.

The case against signing Alexander

The Eagles aren’t spending big money

Alexander reportedly was offered a restructure (i.e. paycut) but wouldn’t accept it, per the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, which could be an indication that his agent believes the market will be strong in free agency. It’s not often that a cornerback of Alexander’s resume hits the open market in June, and teams that missed out on their top free-agent corners in March now get a second chance. The Eagles have been shedding salary this offseason and limiting their big spending, so it’s fair to question if they’d get involved if a bidding war for Alexander ensues.

He has major durability concerns

The list of his missed games from injuries is long and varied: back, shoulder, quad, knee. He only played 14 total games over the past two seasons and played just four in 2021, which means he’s played just 34 of a possible 68 regular-season games over the past four seasons. He only missed one playoff game – the Packers’ 22-10 wild-card loss to the Eagles in January – because he had undergone knee surgery that sidelined him for the final seven games of the season. You can get past the injury element if Alexander is on a one-year deal, but if he’s going to command bigger bucks and more years, his injury history has to be taken into account. 

Why are the Packers moving on from him?

Alexander’s relationship with the Packers over the past few years has been tenuous. He was suspended for one game in 2023 for conduct detrimental to the team after he named himself a team captain before a game against the Panthers and went out for the coin toss. At the time, coach Matt LaFleur said there were other reasons for the suspension. LaFleur was evasive in January when asked if Alexander viewed his knee injury differently than team doctors did. “I can't really get into all that,” LaFleur said, per this ESPN.com story. The Packers finished 2024 with the fifth-best overall defense despite missing Alexander most of the season, so that’s probably the primary reason they’re moving on from him. Nobody's saying Alexander is a bad guy, but Pro Bowl corners don’t grow on trees, so you have to wonder if there’s more to this story. 

The Eagles need to find out about Ringo

The Eagles have done well lately with their draft-and-develop approach, especially with their haul of picks from Georgia, which is the school Ringo attended. Year 3 is where guys like Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, T.J. Edwards, Cam Jurgens and Reed Blankenship have started to emerge in their careers, and when the Eagles like their draft picks to see the field by so they can make a long-term judgment on them. Signing Alexander would take that chance away from Ringo, who’d be a backup and special-teamer after being picked in the fourth round of the 2023 draft. It's not the best reason to avoid signing Alexander, but the Eagles already have emerging stars in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. If they believe Ringo is on the trajectory to just be a solid corner, that should be good enough – and far less expensive – for them to still be a championship-caliber defense.

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